Chapter 18

Leon

Oh, I just wanted to lay her down on the bed there and finish making her mine! With a great sacrifice, we stop kissing, and she stays in my arms, where she belonged.

Even though I fight with all my strength not to give in to temptation, my queen deserves to have her first night of love with everything she has a right to.

I want to make her forget her first time of pain and suffering and show her the magic of love-making. My love for her will heal the wounds that are open, and I will do everything to put the maniac in jail.

- What do you think about so much?

- I think about how beautiful you are," I say, turning my thoughts away from the maniac and kissing his head. My queen doesn't deserve any more pain and suffering.

- Hm! I know! - she says, doubting.

- Ah, damn, our lunch must be cold by now!

- Oh, come on then, I'm hungry! - she says excitedly, getting out of my arms. - I need to splash some water on my face, I must look like a scarecrow.

- No, my queen, you will never look like a scarecrow.

- What do you mean I don't look like a scarecrow? - she goes to the bathroom, but doesn't take long. Just as I was about to answer, she calls out to me, and when I enter the bathroom I realize that she is standing in front of the sink.

- Is something wrong?

- She looks at me.

- I am looking.

- What do you see?

- I see a beautiful woman standing in front of the mirror in our bathroom - she looks at me in surprise.

- So this is our bathroom?

- Yes! And that one over there is our bedroom.

- Good to know! - she jokes, and her eyes sparkle with happiness. I know she likes it. - You really say I don't look like a scarecrow?

- Yes, you don't look like a scarecrow, my queen!

- Leon, I look awful, my eyes are puffy, and my hair is all messed up," she grumbles, and I think she's funny.

- To me, my queen, you are beautiful anyway! Your puffy eyes are amazing, and your beautiful hair makes me happy that I'm responsible for messing it up.

- You are terribly gallant.

I go over to her and hug her from behind, bringing her body closer to mine. My queen rests her head against my chest, and there we stand, looking at each other in the mirror.

- I swear on my life that I will not let anything or anyone harm you.

- I know that, my love!

- Now, we need to go to lunch.

- I need a comb!

- What for?

- Leon, how am I going to get down like this?

- My queen, stop worrying - but I open the drawer and give her a comb.

- Thank you, Leon - she thanks me, and starts combing her long hair. Soon I am taking the comb from her hands and start combing it myself, making it silky smooth.

- There, you see, you look beautiful any way you want, my queen!

- Now I'm looking much better.

- Stop worrying about it, my queen!

- It's easy for you to look beautiful like that," she mocks.

- So you think I'm beautiful?

- As if you don't know you're beautiful!

- I know I'm good looking and all..." I joke, and she rolls her eyes and says:

- Oh, of course, and surely women when they see you run to get your attention.

- Well, I don't know about that! - I scratch my head, a little embarrassed.

- I know that! I still have a question," she turns away from me and continues walking through the bathroom, which, by the way, is a big one.

- What is it?

- I don't have to worry about any of your exes, do I? - I remember Laura, and am in doubt whether to talk or not. In the end I think it's better to talk.

- Well, I was never a saint.

- Oh, you certainly weren't, and why is that?

- As I was saying before, my queen, I had a relationship with someone.

- And this person is an ex-girlfriend? - I realize that she was jealous, and I am very happy to know that my queen is jealous of any woman that has passed through my life. And I am jealous of any man who wants to get close to her.

- This is for my "ex-fuck"," I confess, a little embarrassed.

- Did she take the breakup well?

- Let's say not very well.

- And why did you break up?

- Well, I broke up with her because she fell in love with me.

- But, Leon, why did you do this to the poor woman?

- Why did you do it to the poor woman? My queen, I can't stay with someone just because she's in love with me! And another thing, Laura knew very well that I wasn't in love with any woman and that she and I would never be together.

- I see, and now, are you in love?

- Yes, with my most beautiful queen! - I confess, going towards her. I embrace her and give her a long kiss. When we pulled away, we were panting.

- We'd better go downstairs.

- Yes, let's go!

We leave the room, and I take her hands to go downstairs together. I notice a slight mark on her wrist and think it must be from birth. I am curious, but just as I was about to ask the question, Olivia appears, and her face lights up when she sees that we are holding hands.

- Sir, lunch has been reheated and put on the table.

- Olivia, when we arrived, I couldn't introduce my girlfriend - they both look at me in surprise.

- Nice to meet you, Miss! - Olivia greets her, and my queen lets go of my hand and goes to greet her with a hug. I know that Olivia liked my queen.

- My name is Maria Eduarda Sanches, but everyone calls me Duda.

- It's my pleasure, Miss Sanches!

- Olivia, please call me Duda! - she asks, with a beautiful smile, and I fall even more in love.

- All right, Miss Duda! - my queen laughs and follows Olivia, leaving me standing there thoughtful.

My cell phone rings and I answer it without looking at the display. I soon hear it:

- Who is the slut you were hugging today? - Laura speaks, furious.

- Who do you think you are?

- I am your wife!

- You really have gone crazy, haven't you?

- How can you talk like that to the mother of your child? - My God, this woman was really crazy, she had to be.

- Laura, for God's sake! What son? - I ask, wondering how far her madness would go.

- Yes, our son!

- Laura, you are not fucking pregnant! - I shout into the cell phone.

- Of course I am!

- Are you crazy? You've come up with this craziness before, and I don't believe you! - I end the call and see my beautiful queen coming towards me. She looks at me curiously and asks:

- Is there a problem?

- Nothing important to say right now," I answer, and pull her into my arms. - I'm missing you.

- My God, man!

- Oh, don't tell me you didn't miss me? - I play sad.

- Oh my God, don't tell me you felt lonely without me?

- I always feel lonely when you're not around me! Now, since you accepted me as your boyfriend, I am the happiest man in the world.

- Ah, there's just one problem," she teases, and I see her eyes glistening with tears.

- What would that be?

- You haven't asked me to marry you.

- Oh, don't be for that! - I release our embrace and right there, in the entrance hall of the house, I kneel down and say: "Miss Maria Eduarda Sanches, do you accept to be my queen girlfriend? - and she stares at me surprised at the way I was asking her to marry me. As she answers nothing, I continue: "This man here is desperate to know whether or not you accept to be his girlfriend," I joke nervously, and am surprised to see her kneel in front of me and say, with tears already flowing:

- I, Maria Eduarda Sanches, accept to date Senhor Leon Vitorino.

- These tears should no longer flow, my queen!

- These are tears of happiness!

- I will be your perfect boyfriend! - In my thoughts, I ask God to help me be a man worthy of her.

- For me, you are already my boyfriend, Leon Vitorino!

- Then I declare us boyfriends! - I joke, and we seal our commitment with a passionate kiss. When we part, she caresses my face and says:

- Yes, finally boyfriend and girlfriend! - she finishes by kissing me deeply, and I reply, as we part to catch our breath:

- Now yes you belong to me! - I wink at her, who laughs. I help her to stand up, and we walk together to the dining room to finally have lunch.